Frequently Asked Questions about Chiropractic

Could Chiropractic Care Help?

If you have a spine and live in the industrialized world then yes - chiropractic care could help you. Our bodies are not designed to live in the modern lifestyle and our health is therefore constantly challenged by the stresses of everyday life. Sitting, constant noise, air pollution, processed food, poor posture, inactivity and mental stress all combine to challenge our health. Whilst we are designed to cope with these stresses in small amounts infrequently, the reality is that we are subjected to them for large portions of everyday, Chiropractic care aims to release the build up of everyday modern stress in the body.

What do Chiropractors Do?

Chiropractors check your spine for alignment and decay, much the same way that dentists do with your teeth. As the body deals with the continual stresses of life (everyday), this creates a build up of tension in bodily tissues. This tension leads to distortion and misalignment of posture and more seriously - decay in the spine. The first step in this decaying process is called subluxation (like plaque build up on your teeth). A subluxation involves locking or distortion of spinal joints but because this doesn't usually cause pain it goes unnoticed. This locking of the spinal joints interferes with the normal healthy funtion of the brain and nervous system. When the brain and nervous system aren't working heathily neither can the body as a whole. Chiropractors therefore assess the spine and reconnect the healthy nerve messages. Think of it as fine-tuning for your nervous system.

Chiropractic adjustments send your body back along the path towards good health. This is unlike most 'health' care these days, which merely aims to lessen a sickness or a condition. So what this means is that chiropractic doesn't treat any condition specifically, it just restores alignment and function. Whether you have a condition or not, chiropractic helps to restore and maintain proper function and good health. It's health care not 'sick' care.

Who Sees a Chiropractor?

Anyone who wants good health and quality of life. Most people who get adjusted are healthy and well, and want to stay that way. They come in for regular adjustments to release the tension (subluxation) that builds up in their spines from everyday life. How often they come in is dependant on how much stress they're subjected to, it's a bit like cleaning your teeth. The more you subject your teeth to unhealthy eating habits the more you need to brush and floss. It's the same with your spine and your unhealthy lifestyle habits in that just as most of us clean our teeth once or twice a day, the spine works best when it's adjusted once or twice a month. Having the spine adjusted regularly is like all the other healthy habits we need, such as regular exercise, fresh air, natural food and a positive outlook. Without all these in place you can't have whole health.

Can It Help If I Have A Problem?

Unfortuantely, we are not yet taught from birth to look after our spines regularly. Most people go through their lives allowing their spines to become decayed and misaligned (without realising it) until their nervous system can't cope any more and they develop some sort of 'condition'. Chiropractic can still help these people return to a healthier state, it just takes more work. Because the nervous system coordinates every part of the body, chronic spinal decay and misalignment can cause problems in any area of the body. So chiropractic has helped people with problems as diverse as headaches, sleep, back pain, digestive problems and sciatica (and many others). This is not because chiropractic 'treats' these conditions, but because chiropractic adjustments return people to better health and allows their bodies to heal themselves.

Is It Safe?

Chiropractic is very safe because it is natural and non-invasive. Chiropractors learn many different techniques which allow adjustments to be given to people of all ages. We can help newborn babies, children, teenagers, adults and the elderly. We simply modify what we do accordingly.

Are Chiropractors Trained and Qualified?

Yes. Chiropractic in the UK is regulated by a government body known as the General Chiropractic Council (GCC). All chiropractors must be registered with the GCC and undergo a four / five year full time university education in order to gain their qualification. There are now more than 2000 registered chiropractors in the UK.

Universities around the world differ in the name of the qualification that they award. Some award a 'Doctor' of chiropractic , some award a 'Masters' of chiropractic and others a 'Bachelor' of chiropractic. These awards differ in the name rather than content, each one is equally qualified. Chiropractors are entitled to use the title 'Doctor' some do and some choose not to.